So today, as this newspaper explores the new Parkland, we also want to explain why every Texan should be working hard to change Abbott’s mind on Medicaid.

Just last week came news that Texas again leads the nation in the percentage of residents lacking health insurance. One out of every five people in this state is without a stitch of coverage. And scads of those folks wind up at Parkland, because public hospitals are obligated to care for everyone.

Dallas County taxpayers are footing those bills. Here’s how that could change:

Medicaid, the joint state-federal insurer of last resort, currently covers 4.1 million poor, disabled and elderly people in Texas and costs about $30 billion annually. The federal government covers about 60 percent of the bill.

Back in 2013, states got the chance to expand Medicaid to the working poor as part of the Affordable Care Act. Many governors did just that, and uninsured numbers plummeted.

But with then-Gov. Rick Perry in charge, Texas said no, writing off the offer as nothing more than a hot mess out of Washington. Abbott has taken up that same battle cry, vowing not to support “a massive expansion of an already broken and bloated Medicaid program.”

Here’s the reality behind the rhetoric: A coverage gap of more than 1 million working Texans — some say as many as 2 million — too poor to receive federal subsidies for private health insurance under the Affordable Care Act but too rich to qualify for coverage under Texas’ current Medicaid requirements.

More reality: Texas is leaving $6 billion or so in federal health care help on the table annually.

Lots of business groups see it like we do and continue to lobby hard for Texas to accept the federal dollars. Those include the Dallas Citizens Council — which took the unusual step of publicly pushing for change — the Texas Association of Business and various chambers of commerce. They see the expansion as both a conservative and constructive next step.

Nationally, Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is promoting his expansion of Medicaid in his home state with the argument that the strategy has actually saved Ohio taxpayers money — in addition to being the humane decision.

It’s true that expanding Medicaid would require Austin to find the additional dollars to cover the state’s share. But better to spend on a solution-driven effort that provides coverage to more Texans than to continue to gobble up your taxpayer dollars to fund an eternity of ER visits by the uninsured.

Under Dr. Fred Cerise’s leadership, the new Parkland will do its best to build around the gaping hole that expanded Medicaid would plug. But the leak of tax dollars funneling into that pit? That’s your cash. Tell the governor you’d like some of it back.

A case for Medicaid

31 percent of all Dallas County residents have no health coverage.

65 percent of Parkland patients would become eligible for coverage under the Medicaid expansion.

Dallas County taxpayers sent $449 million to Parkland in 2014; Parkland spent more than $751 million on uncompensated care. Additionally, the insured subsidize uncompensated care through higher insurance premiums.

In addition to financial savings, Medicaid expansion would allow better access to more timely care across Dallas County in other health systems, as the insured would be able to access primary care or specialty services other than relying solely on Parkland and its emergency rooms.